Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Conley blows Horn away as Bruintjies seizes title
ALYSSA CONLEY and Henricho Bruintjies rule South Africa! The sprint stars are the new South African 100m champions after causing huge upsets in their respective finals at the SA National Athletics Championships at Coetzenberg in Stellenbosch last night.
Conley, rocked the women’s sprinting landscape as she got the better of SA record holder Carina Horn on the finish line in 11.36 seconds on a rather chilly but clear evening, with Horn coming home in 11.37, with Western Province’s Tamzin Thomas third in 11.67.
“I’ve always believed in myself. I knew it was going to be a tough race, but after the first ASA Night Series when she basically caught up to me, I knew I could do it,” Conley said. “I was very focused and ready for the final.
“What hasn’t sunk in is that I am back on track. I haven’t been on track for three years due to injuries and setbacks, and what hasn’t sunk in is that I am here again. The next goal is tomorrow in the 200m.”
While Wenda Nel also caught the eye with a world- leading time of 54.84 in the women’s 400m hurdles, it was the two 100m finals that had the boisterous Coetzenberg crowd on their feet on a cool and clear night in the winelands.
And the showdown between record holder Simbine and his main rival Bruintjies lived up to expecta- tions, although the cold weather contributed to the slower time.
But it was Bruintjies who pulled off the victory in 10.17, with Simbine coming in at 10.21 to lose his title.
Simbine – who ran 10.06 in his semifinal, the fastest time at the coast – appeared to have injured his hamstring as he was helped off the track by a few athletes, which included his close friend and 400m world champion Wayde van Niekerk.
“Unbelievable, I’m on top of the world! It was nice. For me, the only thing I wanted to do is come out here and take the title. I haven’t been on the podium for a while,” Bruintjies said.
“Time is not important today – it is all about the title and being number one. Times will come.
“I love my new coach, and training with Akani – I think he hurt himself in the race, and as his training partner, I don’t feel good about that. I hope he gets well soon. But training together is working perfectly as we are pushing each other.”
Earlier, Nel clocked a blistering time in what was her first race of the season, and she feels she can run a magical 53-second time, as her personal best is 54.37. Myrtle Bothma’s SA record is 53.74, which is certainly within Nel’s reach. “It was very nice. I came out with quite a big expectation for myself, but I didn’t want to pressurise myself too much as it is my first meet of the year. I did hope for a sub-55, and I am very happy that I could execute it in that way,” Nel said. “Stride- pattern worked out, I was just in control. Didn’t go out that fast, so I had a lot of power and strength at the end, and I just fought for the line. “I hope so (to break 54 seconds)! It is in the planning, and I do hope that everything can work out for that 53 because that will definitely be the kind of time you have to look at to be on the podium at the Olympics.” In the men’s event, an exciting finish saw LJ van Zyl grab the title ahead of Cornel Fredericks, and even though Van Zyl’s 49.34 wasn’t too quick, he was glad to finish first. “It’s my 100th time under 49.50, and 138th sub-50, so I’m really glad. This is my 14th SA senior champs and I still love the sport a lot. Irvette (his wife and also an athlete) and I had diarrhoea over the last two days, and the lady who looks after our child,” he said. “So I almost pulled out of the race as I wasn’t feeling too well this morning. But I did well with a 50.12 in the heat, I knew I could run faster in the final. My coach still wants me to lose 2kg in the next two months, so I must chill on the carbs and I’m not drinking beer!”
There was an upset of sorts in the men’s 5 000m, though, where Stephen Mokoka got the better of Elroy Gelant in 13:40.81, although it was well short of Mokoka’s SA record of 13:11.44.
The highlight in the field events came in the men’s discus, where Boland’s Victor Hogan produced a mammoth throw of 67.62m to clinch the title in a new personal best.
While a big gun such as Piotr Malachowski of Poland hasn’t really begun his season as yet, Hogan is getting closer to Frantz Kruger’s SA record of 70.32m, and he will be pleased to have gone past the Olympic qualifying standard of 65.00m. As expected, Van Niekerk and 800m champion Caster Semenya got through their heats, as their finals will take place today. Today’s featured finals 10.30am: Men’s long jump 12.30pm: Women’s high jump, Women’s long jump, Men’s pole vault 1.10pm: Women’s 400m 1.20pm: Men’s 400m 2pm: Women’s 800m 3.30pm: Men’s high jump 3.45pm: Men’s 110m hurdles 5.30pm: Women’s 200m 5.40pm: Men’s 200m 6.50pm: Men’s 4x100m relay